Course Topics
List of covered topics: Planning and Scheduling Strategies Project Life Cycle Pricing, Estimating and Budgeting Tools Cost Control and Resource Allocation Stakeholders Engagement Risk Management Time management Management of Innovative Projects and Dealing with Complexity and Uncertainty Detailed description: Project Management is a discipline that supports the successful planning, execution, and completion of temporary, goal-oriented initiatives across a variety of sectors (both profit, non-profit and public). It provides the structure and tools needed to manage resources, schedules, risks, and stakeholders effectively. This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of Project Management, with a focus on practical application, to successfully plan, launch, lead and realize benefits from projects in different types of organizations. A specific module will be dedicated to the management of innovation-oriented projects, which are often characterized by high uncertainty and complexity.

Teaching format
The course combines frontal lectures, guest lectures from industry experts, and in-class discussions supported by practical examples. In addition, students will take part in small group exercises focused on specific project management topics. These exercises will allow students to apply selected tools and concepts in practice and will contribute to the final assessment.

Educational objectives
Knowledge and understanding The student acquires advanced knowledge and understanding of models for new product development and innovation management within companies. I/we acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of business analysis tools and solutions for the development of innovations and organisational knowledge I/we acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of innovation economics models and systems for regional innovation development The student acquires knowledge of quantitative models for the formulation of forecasts necessary to guide management decisions and to predict the life cycle of a product and a sector Ability to apply knowledge and understanding ability to acquire and select relevant information to frame cases of innovation (product, service, social, managerial organisational), also different from the contexts studied ability to select product development models, suitable to appropriately analyse a specific economic-productive context ability to classify, analyse specific innovations and assess their potential ability to select innovation management and organisational knowledge development models, suitable for a specific economic-social-productive context, such as digital transformation, resilience and sustainability ability to select the tools for innovation management and organisational knowledge development, consistent with the models deemed appropriate ability to propose and implement strategic and operational courses of action to foster the development of innovation by a company ability to assess the potential of an innovation within existing enterprises, with respect to the creation of a new enterprise (e.g. intrapreneurship, open innovation, etc.). Autonomy of judgement Acquire the ability to analyse complex entrepreneurial issues, such as the elaboration and evaluation of an entrepreneurial project (business plan) or the development of a new product. Autonomy of judgement is developed in the training activities carried out for the preparation of the thesis, as well as in the exercises that accompany the lectures and that involve group discussions and the comparison of individual analyses carried out by students in preparation for the lecture. Communication skills Acquire the ability to describe and communicate in an intercultural context, in a clear and precise manner, problematic situations typical of the management of a new enterprise and the development of innovation, such as, for example, the conditions for the validation of a problem or solution, the prospects and risks associated with a business model or an innovation project. The development of communication competences assumes heterogeneous situations such as, for example, the presence of internal stakeholders (e.g. colleagues, managers, owners), or external stakeholders (e.g. potential investors, suppliers and other business partners) and the ability to sustain an adversarial process. The achievement of these objectives is assessed in the course of the training activities already mentioned, as well as in the discussion of the final thesis. Learning ability Acquire the ability to study independently, to prepare summaries. Acquire the ability to identify thematic connections and to establish relationships between different cases and contexts of analysis Acquire the ability to frame a new problem systematically and to generate appropriate taxonomies. Acquire the ability to develop general models from the phenomena studied.

Assessment
For attending students: Written and oral exam. • Written exam at the end of the course. • In-class oral presentation of short group project works (2–3 mini-projects focused on specific project management topics, that will not be part of the written exam). Non-attending students: Written exam. This exam will include additional critical reflection questions on those topics addressed through the project works by attending students. NOTE 1: Project works are valid for one academic year and cannot be carried over beyond that timeframe. NOTE 2: Students who attend at least 70% of the classes will be regarded as attending students.

Evaluation criteria
Non-attending Students: 100% Individual Written Exam Attending Students: 50% Individual Written exam 50% Project work presentations The written exam consists of multiple-choice questions, open questions, review questions or written critical assessments of project management issues. It is relevant for written exam: clarity of answers based on the knowledge provided in readings, textbooks and slides, ability to summarize, evaluate, and establish relationships between topics, ability to critically analyze project management issues. The project works consist of the analysis and discussion of a business case or the application of Project Management Tools. Cases will be assigned by the lecturer and presented during some of the lectures. The presentations are expected to be based on theoretical concepts covered in class and the extant literature and should address the questions, educational goals and learning outcomes attached to each case study. It is relevant for project work: ability to work in a team, creativity, skills in critical thinking, ability to summarize in own words and presentation skills.